Vicar Mari Parkkinen was elected the next bishop of the Diocese of Mikkeli in the second round of the episcopal elections, held on 16 June 2023.The votes were divided as follows: Mari Parkkinen received 524 votes (52.8%) and acting vicar Pekka Särkiö 468 votes (47.2%). A total of about 1,100 people were eligible to vote in the episcopal elections, half of whom were pastors and half lay voters. The voter turnout was 89.57%.Born in 1971, Parkkinen holds a doctorate in theology. Ordained in 2010, she served as a parish pastor in the Mikkeli Cathedral Parish and in other roles until 2021, when she became vicar of the Imatra Parish. The newly elected bishop will take office on 1 September 2023 and be consecrated by Archbishop Tapio Luoma in the Mikkeli Cathedral on 3 September. Parkkinen will be the eleventh bishop of the Diocese of Mikkeli.